ELBURN – As Assistant Chief Tate Haley and other Elburn & Countryside Fire Protection District officials set up easels Monday night and put up colorful pictures to show how the new fire station on Route 38 will look, Elburn officials’ eyes were lighting up.

Haley and others provided a glimpse of the project at the Village Board meeting, and residents will have their chance. Visitors are welcome from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday for an open house at the current fire station, 210 E. North St., Elburn, to look over the plans and ask questions.

Haley said the goal is for the station to break ground in May. If all goes well, the target for the station’s opening would be in August 2015, he said.

At the board meeting, Village President Dave Anderson said the station will be “an obvious asset to the community,” both in its look and services provided. The new station will be on the north side of Route 38, just east of First Street. It will sit to the east of the Walgreens store that is at the intersection of Routes 38 and 47.

Erin Willrett, the village administrator, called the look of the new building “absolutely beautiful.”

Fire officials have said the cost of the new station is estimated to be between $8 million and $10 million, and that the cost is expected to be covered by the department. Chief Kelly Callaghan had said the department would not seek funds to build the station.

Haley described the new station as a three-story building that would welcome visitors. There would be a first-floor museum, with display cases out “for people to see.” There would be residences on the top floor. In the basement, there would be a public room, training, a fitness area and more.

There was some board discussion about the station. Haley said the plan is for the department’s vehicles to exit on Route 38, and board members wanted to make sure there would be sufficient signage to alert motorists. Vehicles would enter the facility on First Street.

The building will be more than twice as large as the current building. The new station will be 41,930 square feet. The current structure is less than 20,000 square feet. Also, Haley said the location of the new station will help, as it will be close to both Route 38 and Route 47. The department covers approximately 75 square miles – serving areas including Elburn, Lily Lake, Virgil, Campton Hills and the Mill Creek community.

Haley said the department also is seeing a 47 percent increase in calls this year.